Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Alexandra Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Alexandra

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,190 per month in Phuket vs $1,081 in Alexandra, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,006 per month in Phuket vs $1,681 in Alexandra, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,822 per month in Phuket vs $2,281 in Alexandra, rent included.

Phuket costs about 10% more than Alexandra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Alexandra are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 11% lower, Alexandra 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.35 ฿146

$8.77 R 146

-50.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.45 ฿1,090

$36.71 R 611

-11.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.42 ฿283

$5.26 R 87.5

60.08%

Cappuccino

$2.81 ฿94.3

$2.23 R 37.05

26.01%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 ฿29.40

$1.08 R 17.90

-19.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ฿15.45

$0.82 R 13.59

-43.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 ฿86.9

$2.27 R 37.71

14.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 ฿122

$2.72 R 45.25

33.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿57.4

$1.15 R 19.20

48.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ฿48.59

$1.12 R 18.65

29.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.4

$1.76 R 29.22

-11.36%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.5

$2.49 R 41.37

-15.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.53 ฿656

$8.12 R 135

140.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 ฿114

$4.79 R 79.7

-29.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.14 ฿374

$7.04 R 117

58.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 ฿95.2

$1.71 R 28.42

65.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.5

$1.65 R 27.39

-1.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 ฿74.7

$1.78 R 29.58

24.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 ฿72.1

$1.56 R 25.88

37.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 ฿50.1

$1.12 R 18.58

33.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.56

$1.21 R 20.10

9.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.84

$1.17 R 19.54

-8.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.07

$1.28 R 21.22

-60.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 ฿147

$3.33 R 55.4

31.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.77 ฿631

$5.23 R 87.0

258.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ฿58.5

$1.52 R 25.28

14.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.3

$1.95 R 32.42

42.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.17 ฿72.8

$1.51 R 25.10

43.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.28 ฿748

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿101

$0.29 R 4.77

941.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ฿35.55

$0.81 R 13.51

30.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.71 ฿125

$14.50 R 241

-74.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿48.06

$1.55 R 25.84

-7.74%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$26.3K ฿885.2K

$34.8K R 579.4K

-24.36%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.2K ฿880.4K

$32.3K R 537.3K

-18.88%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$96.7 ฿3,248

$150 R 2,489

-35.40%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$11.41 ฿383

$36.74 R 611

-68.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.11 ฿575

$36.44 R 606

-53.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 ฿1,774

$33.49 R 557

57.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿372

$9.98 R 166

10.92%

Cinema Ticket

$7.65 ฿257

$7.36 R 122

3.94%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$555 ฿18.6K

$242 R 4,025

129.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿379.1K

$5,496 R 91.4K

105.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 ฿2,131

$52.4 R 871

21.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.61 ฿961

$31.36 R 522

-8.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 ฿3,250

$90.5 R 1,505

6.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.6 ฿2,977

$83.6 R 1,390

6.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$735 ฿24.7K

$437 R 7,262

68.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$458 ฿15.4K

$367 R 6,098

24.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,102 ฿70.6K

$697 R 11.6K

201.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,187 ฿39.9K

$746 R 12.4K

59.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,493 ฿117.4K

$896 R 14.9K

289.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,491 ฿83.7K

$642 R 10.7K

287.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 ฿16.8K

$1,739 R 28.9K

-71.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

10.91

-48.95%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: October 4, 2026

Last update for Alexandra: October 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $735 in Phuket versus $437 in Alexandra. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 247% higher in Alexandra, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $37.00 in Alexandra. Groceries tell a different story – $268 in Phuket vs $190 in Alexandra – so Alexandra wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Phuket vs Alexandra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 10% more than Alexandra, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,785 per month in Phuket and $1,622 in Alexandra. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Alexandra, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,190 in Phuket and $1,081 in Alexandra. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $555 per month in Phuket and $242 in Alexandra. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Alexandra, where all-in costs run around $1,081, than in Phuket at $1,190. In Alexandra it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Alexandra costs $1,081 versus $1,190 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Alexandra. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.